Former West Ham United defender Reece Oxford has said he wants to return home one day after resurrecting his career in the Bundesliga.
Oxford left West Ham in 2019 after struggling to develop in the way many had hoped he could suggesting the expectations put on him were not realistic at such a young age.
In an interview with The Telegraph he said: “Everyone thought I was Superman and no one really knew what went on behind closed doors. I had been with the first team since I was 14. I was never on my age group’s schedule.
“I was straight into the professional game. Injuries – back pains, hamstring problems, everything. Maybe I also got a bit lost in the bubble because you would when you are 16 and coming out of school. I never had the attitude that they said I did.”
Though he was likely a victim of his own success after playing a starring role for West Ham against Arsenal on his debut in 2015.
The 23-year-old has since rebuilt his career with Bundesliga side Ausburg, where has played every minute of every league game in which he was not injured or suspended. The four games he has missed saw his side fail to keep clean sheets in any of them, showcasing his importance to the team.
Oxford declared his intentions to one day return home to England. He said to The Telegraph: “I am from England and I do want to come home. I am not going to spend my whole career out here.”
However, what Oxford wants more than anything is an England call-up. He played under current England boss Gareth Southgate in the junior levels of the national team, but due to his current status he may find it difficult to earn a call up to the national team.
Fellow Englishman Fikayo Tomori is top of the league with AC Milan, but has still failed to earn a call up over some of the other defenders who have clearly not had seasons as good as him.